Photo Shoot With My 27mm and Fuji X-E1

I just finished a photoshoot with my 27mm. Wow, I like this lens. Now I’m tempted to sell my 35mm and get the 60mm or the super-expensive 56mm. Those are probably only two lenses I need for portrait work.

Here are some pics:

 

My First Fuji Images Processed By Capture One

I  had a recent photo shoot. I decided to use Capture One to process it.  When I was testing out various RAW converters for my Fuji cameras, I mentioned I loved Capture One’s skin tones. Funnily, for my first Capture One session, I decided to do the set in black and white.

I love black and white photos but have rarely processed my portraiture in black and white. So for this shoot, I put my camera in black and white mode and decided my set should be in black and white. Of course, the RAW would come out in color, but at least in my camera, I would know what the black and white photos will look like.

The models were Haley J, Kimberly P, and Madison L.

My Thoughts

I think they look  underexposed. But I wanted to give it a darker feel. If I were to do these again, I would try upping the exposure or brightness setting in Capture One and seeing how it would turn out.

Also, I could’ve used the levels slider in Capture One to make the blacks darker. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I’m used to Lightroom’s black slider.

How Did I Process These?

If you’re interested in how I processed these, I used a “complicated” method: I just put the saturation slider to 0.  Yeah, it’s probably not the best way to do it, but I have seen  professionals who I respect use that method.

I guess I have more control if I used the black and white setting such as filtering certain colors. But this is my lazy, quick, and easy method. Also, I can put a slight blue tint to the shadows when I have the saturation at 0. I don’t know if I can do that if I use the black and white setting in Capture One.

If Lightroom does come out with the film simulations for the Fuji cameras,  hopefully, I can just use that. I love how Fuji’s black and white film simulation looks.

Why I Love to Shoot Models

Let’s get this out of the way: besides hanging around hot chicks, why do I love shooting models? Well, i read this on /r/photography the other day. And lilgreenrosetta (check out his tumblr. He’s a talented fashion photographer) wrote this:

I would say that fashion photography is the most creative genre of photography, save for some forms autonomous art photography. Because apart from the location that’s used as a backdrop, fashion photography doesn’t start with any existing reality. Just like making a movie, everything in fashion photography has to becreated. The ideas and concepts, the fashion designs, the art direction, the model’s performance, the hair & make-up, the choice of light and photographic technique; everything is a creative decision. And as the photographer you are at the head of all of these decisions, which is creatively very rewarding and also the reason that good fashion photographers get paid so much.

I agree with him. He is specifying fashion photography though. And that’s the type of photography I’m leaning towards. 

When I was starting out, the scariest thing I did was studio shoots. Everything was a blank canvas. You have to set the light the way you want it. You have to find the right backdrop. You have to get the “look” for the models.  You need to get the right pose. You need your technical stuff figured out. And so on. Like what the quote above said, everything was a creative decision. 

Even when you’re not in a studio, you still have to scout the location and figure out a “storyline” for your shoots. 

I used to draw a lot when I was young. I think this style of photography helps me to draw out my creative energy again.